Monday, August 10, 2009

I am totally exhausted from the hectic pace at my job. It's just that time of year when I feeling like I'm in combat on the front lines at my high school. Yes, it's back to school time and jobs have been cut. Still, we must carry the work load with less people to pitch in.

My son is moving out at the end of this month. We are talking, and there is much to say, but there is no strength left in me to do this-- until the weekend.

My son wants to get a vivitrol shot. He thinks this will help him to stop using...

Does anyone know much about this? I would appreciate any feedback.

I will try and write later in the week. For now, I'm off to bed.

Thank you for your comments. I mean it, from the depths of my heart.

Thank you, Kim, for your kind email.

Thank you MH for sending me "The Lord's Prayer" and for your loving and encouraging thoughts.

Thank you Huzzy and CB for being my dear friends. I love you dearly.

Thank you, husband, for your love and your support. You mean the world to me.

24 comments:

There are others out there but this particular site states that someone addicted to narcotics should not take it. I feel your exhaustion as I am in a very similar place as you, so much stress on top of the situation with my son. God Bless you and your family.

Ask him why he wants that. The suboxone takes away the oppssesion to use if he uses it properly. The vivitrol (natrexone) does not do that. What it does do is block the heroin if he was to use it. Suboxone has 2mg of this drug in it but it does nothing. It is only there so you don't shot up the suboxone. It would put you in withdrawls because of the vivitrol (natrexone). It's all the same stuff different name. The vivitrol in suboxone is called naloxone.If he gets the shot of vivitrol it would be about 50 to 60 mg and if he does the heroin he would be throwing his money away because he won't feel it. The think is he can just skip a vivitrol shot and get high just like he is stopping the suboxone to get high.

Vivitraol is Naltrexone. II don't know that much about it but i think if you get a Naltrexone shot or implant that if you use heroin you will not get high. The dangerous side is that you may want to get high so bad that you continue to use heroin or other opioids while using the naltrexone and you overdose.

Hello my son thomas recently died from heroin overdose whilst on the O'Neill Long Acting Naltrexone Implant in Perth/Australia, I have had to google and understand myself about Naltrexone. Toxicology report stated high amounts of heroin in his system when he died. So my guess is some people will keep injecting until it is at dangerous levels, takecare everyone.

My best friend's son is an addict, just 22 yrs old, started in high school. I found this blog on a "Vivitrol" search because my husband is an M.D. and our friend has asked us to prescribe this for him. There is a doctor in the next state she was talking to who uses this for alcoholics and would use it for drug addicts now that it is approved, but as her son is not a patient he won't risk prescribing, of course. I did want to respond to the post that said she read that it wasn't safe for people on opiates - that information would have been for an alcohol addiction website - it is used for alcohol addiction. My friend can't get on this website because her son has sold her computer and his sisters, as well as their designer jeans, her GPS, all electronics in the house and her mother's silver. We will get this, and I guess we will all sit on him and in 3 days, inject it. He times his Suboxone to continue on heroin. He is dying, so we will try Victorian tactics. Marci

Is the Vivitrol addictive? We thought Suboxone was a miracle drug but turned into a nightmare. My son had to go into in-patient treatment to get off Suboxone. Now, they are talking about giving him Vivitrol. I'm very skeptical and afraid. Can someone tell me the TRUTH about this drug, please???? I'm ready for the ride to stop. It's been 12 long, hard years.

Im actually on vivitrol it has saved my life. I had been addicted to heroin for three years and tried everything to get clean and my mother introduced me to the vivitrol shot and i now have a year clean. It deletes all cravings for the drug it is honestly the best thing to ever happen to me.

I was addicted to oxycontin for 3 years. After I wanted to stop using I went onto a suboxone maintenance program for four years. I didn't realize what I was doing to myself because the doctor prescribing me never told me. I've recently gotten off of the suboxone(What a nightmare. Would not recommend being on it unless used for detox.) and have gone ob the vivitrol shot. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this shot when used properly. It saved my life. As long as everything is out of your system when you get it you should be fine. It takes away cravings and is not habit forming. Always remember though that an addict is the only one who can decide when they're ready to get clean.

According to my son, and my observations, methadone was a total disaster. The suboxone helped him get off the methadone. B is almost through with the suboxone-- slow and steady, under a doctor's care. He has been clean for four months. He says all the cravings are gone. Vivitrol is his next step. Yes, you are right. It is my son who has to choose sobriety. He feared withdrawals, most. I am so thankful that he is holding a job, has money and all those friends are out of his life. He says this last relapse made him realize he hated the whole thing. He didn't enjoy it at all. Amen.

I've been on the vivitrol shot for a little over a year and its the best thing that I could have ever done! I don't have cravings or any side affects. vivitrol truely saved my life. For anyone who is skeptical about this don't be it is an amazing thing my brother and I both use it and he has four years clean and I have one!

everybody listen....my name is mark i have just recently got off of everything. I started doing hydrocodone, oxycontin, hydromorphone, etc. I when to the clinic and started methadone treatment. I wasted 3 years of my life on it and everytime i wanted to decrease my dose it was twice the hassel of increasing my dose. 140mg is what I was at and finally I came down off of it cold turkey for 60 straight days. My parents had enough of the bullcrap and gave me a little tough love. After 60 days I located suboxone illegally and slowly decreased my dose. It was no where near the severity of kicking methadone. I pray for all of you and your family's but please try to identify the enabling of this horrible disease. Paying for suboxone or methadone treatment is no worst than buying your own child heroine. I am now 26 years old and have been sober for 10 months. I am a computer programmer working for apple computers. I love my life and am slowly repairing my relationships I have destroyed with MY OWN ACTIONS. Two months of pain and misery or a lifetime of addiction?

I am a medical professional and we see both Suboxone and Vivitrol patients. Suboxone used to come in pill form and it was highly addictive but it did curve temptations and withdrawals. It now comes in a film that dissolves under the tongue. We had many calls for people who just wanted the suboxone prescription and hung up the phone when told that we require the patients to be in counseling as well. It seems that the patients on suboxone were trading one addiction for another. Vivitrol has been most successful at our office because it is a once a month injection and blocks opiates and alcohol effects. It is not as easy for the patient to stop using Vivitrol and relapse as it is a monthly injection versus Suboxone where the patient has a choice to take it or not take it if they would rather use. Pricing is different for suboxone or vivitrol because it is not medically necessary to take, insurance companies are just now finally realizing that addiction is a disease. As far as pricing goes, it can vary based on how much of it can be covered by insurance. The cash pay price for the Vivitrol injection is about $600. Then there is a doctor fee which varies by practice. A lot of doctors offices do not accept insurance for vivitrol appointments because it is unlikely that the doctor will be reimbursed by insurance since it is not medically necessary, but many patients can pay the doctor then have better luck submitting their claim to their insurance for reimbursement. Hope this helps everyone. You can call 1-800-Vivitrol to find a doctor near you and for more information regarding pricing and insurance.

I was addicted to opiates for 10 years. Im 30 years old right now. I started getting the vivitrol shot 7 months ago. this is the longest clean period I've ever had. I still have cravings sometimes, but not for the most part. Between the shot, counseling, changing the people and places that I spend my time with and having a solid support system, things are finally looking up. I one thankful girl.and no the vivitrol is not addictive, thrs no withdraw when stopping it and it doesnt get you high in any way shape or form, its purpose is to be an opiate blocker, if you would use while on the shot you would get no euphoric effects.

Evan, when starting vivitrol you need to be about 5-7 days clean, from suboxone too. Your best bet is to taper off of the suboxone. At the beginning of each week decrease your milligram intake for the day down by 2. So if you are taking 8mg's a day, bring it down to 6 and so on. When starting vivitrol if you have any opiates or alcohol in your system you will experience withdraw symptoms.

I'm in the same boat as "Evan" and Anonymous didn't answer the question completely. Even when the Suboxone is out of your system (after the 7 days. shit even after 15 days) we will still be experiencing withdraw aches, pains, and fatigue. This js because our body's are getting use to not haveing suboxone ( I believe it's the opiod or some kind of receptors in the brain that cause the withdraw type feelings) What we want to know is even after 7-15 days of no suboxone and there NOT being any in our system. Will the Vivitrol shot help those withdraws go away at all or does it just help with the cravings and we have to finish the post withdraw process??????????????????? I undertand Vivitrol helps afterwards and i know exaclty how it works from reading what every other person has read online and shared about the same damn thing that anyone can read on google but can someone please answer this one simple question who has been through it and knows that you withdraw from suboxone longer than 7 freaking DAYS!!!!! Some who truly knows the answer to this please respond. Thanks a bunch!

I'm in the same boat as "Evan" and Anonymous didn't answer the question completely. Even when the Suboxone is out of your system (after the 7 days. shit even after 15 days) we will still be experiencing withdraw aches, pains, and fatigue. This js because our body's are getting use to not haveing suboxone ( I believe it's the opiod or some kind of receptors in the brain that cause the withdraw type feelings) What we want to know is even after 7-15 days of no suboxone and there NOT being any in our system. Will the Vivitrol shot help those withdraws go away at all or does it just help with the cravings and we have to finish the post withdraw process??????????????????? I undertand Vivitrol helps afterwards and i know exaclty how it works from reading what every other person has read online and shared about the same damn thing that anyone can read on google but can someone please answer this one simple question who has been through it and knows that you withdraw from suboxone longer than 7 freaking DAYS!!!!! Some who truly knows the answer to this please respond. Thanks a bunch!

I was addicted to opiates (pretty much any kind of pill form of pain killer I could find) for almost 10 years. I was using suboxone for over a year it worked and I could live my life but was sick of taking something everyday and just wanted this chapter of my life to be over. I heard about vitriol and decided to try it. Werner off the sub then was sub free for 16 days before the shot. I got my first shot 13 days ago and have been living in he'll since 5 min after the injection!!! I have never experienced withdrawal like this in my life. After 10 days of he'll the physical side affects are starting to subside but I have zero energy no motivation and I don't care about anything I can't even cry!!! And I'm a woman an emotional woman that has been through a lot in my life but this experience really has been one of the worst. I guess I just want to warn you all that everyone is different and no way is it a miracle! Good luck! Xoxoxo

This is the worst drug I've ever taken before. Naltrexone is hell, don't even think about it.

I've had the implant and it simply made my life miserable. For three months I was not doing anything useful at all and was completely depressed and always felt like something was taken away from me.

Psychologically it makes you feel like you are in prison. Let alone the thoughts of taking it out yourself and the end the hell that you are living like the horrible mood swings and depression.

This drug blocks the natural endorphins from ever recovering, so in short you wont be back to normal until its effect is over. 95% of the people I know including me who had it, relapsed after the time was over. It's no use, it just gives you a break from heroin usage that's it and once its over, things are back to normal.

Narcotics Anonymous is the only way to actually quit, people who understand the state of mind the addict is in. The addict has to hit rock bottom to want to quit, simple as that. Forcing an addict to quit will most likely resort to a relapse worse than his previous usage.

i am in my second vivitrol shot for oxy/heroine addiction after relapsing with 17 years of clean time.i will not be getting a third shot of this stuff.i feel like a prisoner in my own body. my mood swings are crazy! i go from happy, to depressed, to angry outbursts. i sweat a lot, am agitated and irritable a lot.

it has not taken away my cravings at all. i'm sorry i got the second shot.

it's been 30 days and i cant wait to start feeling "normal" again.

i know we are all different, but this was my experience so do your research on this drug before taking it.

The danger of oxycontin

Please read this highly informative website about oxycontin.Oxycontin kills. Each day, as I search to understand the drug that my son is addicted to, I count my blessings that my son is still alive. Please read this:http://www.oxyabusekills.com/

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (New King James Version)

The Value of a Friend

9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone?12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Glass House Ministries - Christian Support

Eight Recovery Principles based on the BEATITUDES, by Rick Warren

1. Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.”Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.” Matthew 5:3

2. Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover.”Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

3. Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.”Happy are the meek.“ Matthew 5:5

4. Openly examine and confess my faults to God, to myself and to another person whom I trust."Happy are the pure in heart." Matthew 5:8

5. Voluntarily submit to any and all changes God wants to make in my life."Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires." Matthew 5:6

6. Evaluate all my relationships, offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others when possible, except when doing so would harm them or others."Happy are the merciful" Matthew 5:7 "Happy are the peacemakers" Matthew 5:9

7. Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His work for my life and gain the power to follow His will.

8. Yield myself to be used by God to bring this good news to others, both by my example and by my words.“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.” Matthew 5:10